Happy Birthday Eames
by squarey
Summary: A birthday for Alex Eames and an unexpected gift from Bobby.


Alex Eames was in no mood to wake up and face the day. Each year this day came, this day went, and each year she seemed to like it less. And to prove that sentiment, her phone was ringing and she hadn't even opened her eyes.

"Hello." She said, sleepily into the phone, still not opening her eyes, her head under the pillow to block the light of the sun that was starting to intrude into her dark bedroom.

"Happy Birthday honey!" It was her dad. She was born on this day, at this time, oh-so-many years ago. So her dad not only called her on her birthday, he called her to wish her happy birthday at the exact time of day that she was born.

"Thanks Dad." Her voice was a bit muffled against her bed pillows.

"Are you still asleep?" He asked, a bit of concern etching into his voice. He knew that she was working today, he had wanted to take her for lunch, but she had said she couldn't because she was working a case. So, he had coerced her into coming by for dinner.

"No. I'm on the phone." She said, a bit sarcastically, but there was a smile in her tone.

"Right. Happy Birthday honey, we'll see you for dinner." Her dad said before he hung up the phone. Alex hung up the phone and lay in bed for a few more minutes. 

She had arranged with Ross for two hours of leave at the start of her shift. She had a stop to make on the way to work, therefore if she was going to be on time for work she didn't actually have a lot of time to poke around home at a leisurely pace. So, she drug herself out of bed and into the shower.

An hour later she was walking across the cemetery, flowers in hand. She and Joe shared the same birthday. So, each year on this day (and actually, several others across the year), she would visit his grave. She placed the flowers against the grave stone and stood for a moment, not moving and not even actually thinking. She simply stood, breathing in the air, watching the clouds blow by in the sky. 

"Through and through." She whispered. She remembered their vows, through thick and through thin. So, they used to say to one another that they loved each other through and through. He was a good man, he was a good husband, he was a good cop, and she remembered that depending on the day, she would mentally switch the order of those sentiments. 

She sighed and looked down at the span of years on his grave marker. A life interrupted. Sometimes she thought the same about her life. She found her birthday to be increasingly difficult. When she was younger she imagined family, perhaps motherhood, she imagined Joe, hell she even imagined that she would potentially be at a different rank within NYPD. None of those things had come to fruition, and each year that passed was a year further away from the life she had imagined. 

"Through and through Joe." She whispered again before turning to leave. She did not have time to linger, she needed to get into the squad. 

She hurried in through the building to get to her desk. She was running about 10 minutes later than planned and she could imagine that Bobby was waiting impatiently. They had an appointment to interview someone across town, and it would be no easy task getting to where they needed to go this time of day in traffic. Just as she expected, Bobby was sitting at his desk waiting for her. When she came into view she actually thought he glanced at his watch. 

"I'm sorry I'm late." She offered, keeping her coat on, figuring he would want to get going right away.

"Happy Birthday Eames." Bobby surprised her. He placed a package of hostess cupcakes in front her on her desk.

"You'd think, right?" She whispered, as much to herself as to him. 

"What?" Bobby tilted his head a bit as he studied her.

"Nothing." She replied, looking at the cupcakes.

"You're alive." He stated, not letting her remark drop, revealing that he had not only heard what she said he understood it. She looked at him for a long moment, wondering if he was being maddeningly literal. Birthdays, after all, were simply a celebration that you were alive. But, then she considered his remark a bit differently. Perhaps his reply was more a reflection of his own life. Bobby's goal was maybe that he should simply be alive for his birthday. He hadn't exactly had an easy go of it, and year after year, he was probably at least mildly surprised that he had made it through. She felt a bit surprised as she realized that his cryptic comment was the exact thing she needed to hear. He had rather unintentionally reminded her to think of the things she had, not what she was missing. 

"Yeah, I'm alive." She ever so slightly smiled. 

"Happy Birthday Eames." He repeated the sentiment.

"Yeah, maybe." She allowed, and they started their day.

* * *

**A/N**: I have never really written Alex before. I hope this felt right. Thanks for reading :)


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